And Then He Woke Up
by ObscureWriter
Summary: Preseries-- A terrible dream plagues Mob member, Windhammer. Is it just a dream or a permonition?


And Then He Woke Up…

Disclaimer: Like many fans before me I officially proclaim "I own none of the recognizable places, characters, tech etc. in this story. They all belong to Stephen Perry and Rankin\Bass. Anyone\thing unrecognizable belongs to me."

_Windhammer planted his gigantic feet willing his clawed toes to dig as far as they could __into the floor. When he felt the stone begin to drag under his soles he stiffened his legs. _

_"You have already destroyed your tuning fork." an aged voice remarked._

_The first part of his punishment was to personally throw his tuning fork into a vat of __boiling metal. Windhammer cringed at the fresh memory. _

_"Why balk at the rest of your decision, Deeth?" the old man continued._

_The Elder Keeper's last word broke through Windhammer's concentration. He had __spoken the name he bore until his Weather Keeper master gave him his 'true' name. With __the reminder still echoing in his mind Deeth let them take him. It was time to act like he __regretted nothing. _

_The pair of Weather Keepers took him to a large stone chair in the middle of the room. __They roughly turned him around and shoved his body large down into the seat. It was __then that Deeth got a good look at them. Both Keepers look too young to have known him __as a law abiding citizen. There treatment of him was driven by knowledge and respect for __tradition rather than anything he did to them individually._

_Deeth kept his head up as the younger Keepers took their places beside the chair. He __could try to run and he wanted to. But, now was the point of no return and to deny it __further was sheer foolishness. __He knew full well who would be greeting him next. It was the same Elder who was __present when he destroyed his tuning fork-- his former master, the preceding __Windhammer. After he passed on his true name he received a new title and the right to __use his birth name with honor as Elder Keeper Sohm. _

_"Don't expect an apology." Deeth said, not breaking gaze with the Elder. _

_The Elder Keeper let out a sigh. "I only want you to see your decision through with some __dignity."_

_In front of the entire order Deeth was to be stripped of his powers. And beyond that he __was to be flung to the lowest caste of society. What dignity was in that? With his mind __giving no answer he remained still. _

_Elder Keeper Sohm turned to the Weather Keepers __and began giving a speech about disgraced Keeper's crimes and what he had coming. __When he was finished Sohm called another Elder Keeper forth to give him a syringe. Its __contents would kill the special cells in all Weather Keepers' bodies that allowed them to __use tuning forks to control the weather. Deeth's hands clenched the arms of the chair as __Sohm wordlessly raised the syringe. Then he caught something in the Elder's eyes. It __almost looked like his former master already wanted to take back he was about to do._

_Deeth grinned. "Now who's hesitating?" _

_A__ defiant sneer graced Sohm's face. Not wasting another moment he thrust the needle __into Deeth's arm. Deeth clamped his eyes shut and clutched his arm as the liquid began __to course through his system…_

***********

Windhammer's eyes shot open allowing him to see metal cots hanging on a wall. He instantly registered what that meant and panicked. His cellmate, a little girl in a turtleneck and overalls jumped out of the way as Windhammer's large body rushed from one end of the cell to the other.

"Hey! Watch where you're putting those elephant feet!" she remarked angrily as she jumped onto the lower bunk.

Windhammer ignored the little girl and clutched the bars of the only window in their little piece of Penal Planet 10. He concentrated on the faint warm wind blowing into the cell. Oh, to be able to make it a tad cooler. If his cellmate didn't decide to jump up and yank his long blonde hair Windhammer would have spent the rest of the day looking out the window.

Furiously he turned around to see the girl with her hands behind her back. "You gonna eat?" she asked with an innocent smile.

"You're getting too used to that form." Windhammer replied wearily.

The girl instantly looked indignant. "When I get out of here and get reprogrammed back to multi-form Stargazer will wish he never touched one circuit on me!" Mo-Lec-U-Lar, Limbo Mob spy, crossed his arms. "He could have at least made me a boy."

Windhammer sighed and walked over to where a tray sat near the bars. He sat down and unceremoniously picked up a bowl and began eating the indefinable grey mush. It was a surprise that the guards hadn't picked up the tray already. Windhammer had no way to tell how long he'd been sleeping. The day had been unseasonably warm from the start and all he wanted to do was sleep.

Mo-Lec-U-Lar went over and jumped back up to the lower bunk. He took a good look at his surrounds before speaking again. "The guards have been a little off today." The 'bot spoke in a quiet voice.

"Must be someone's birthday." Windhammer replied sarcastically between bites.

"I'm serious, Windhammer!" Mo-Lec-U-Lar said as he slammed a fist to the metal. "And did it get even hotter in here? My sensors have been registering temperature spikes all day."

"I hope not." Windhammer said as he wiped beads of sweat from his brow.

Windhammer could remember vividly first coming to Limbo. In no time he challenged Mon*Star for dominance. Even though he could control the weather the Mob boss still defeated him. Despite his arrogance the Planet Master was impressed and allowed the former Weather Keeper to join the Mob. In time Windhammer made peace with his lot and decided as long as he could use his powers all was right in the universe.

But after Commander Stargazer captured Mon*Star the rest of the Mob fell quickly. Once his sentence was served Windhammer would be sent back to the Ocean Planet. He was beyond Mon*Star's 'protection' and his hope was being eaten away quicker than the dull prison food.

After Windhammer finished eating he decided to go back to sleep. At about the same time Mo-Lec-U-Lar decided to hum a medley of tunes. After the tenth one Windhammer had enough.

"Quiet you!" Windhammer bellowed.

"I was just saving you from another depressing dream."

Windhammer narrowed his eyes not believing it for a second. Mo-Lec-U-Lar began swinging his tiny legs as he let out a chuckle.

Suddenly an alarm began to blare causing the pair to cover their ears. After a second it stopped and an announcement came over the prison loudspeakers.

_Moon*Star burst in one minute._

Mo-Lec-U-Lar instantly perked up. "See? I told you!"

Windhammer could only grin.


End file.
